1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a clutch Cover assembly, and particularly to a clutch cover assembly for pressing a friction member of the clutch disc assembly onto a flywheel of an engine and for releasing the pressing.
2. Background Art
In general, a clutch cover assembly is attached to a flywheel of an engine and is used for transmitting the driving force of the engine towards a transmission. Such a clutch cover assembly mainly includes a clutch cover, a pressure plate, and a diaphragm spring. The clutch cover is fixed to the flywheel. The pressure plate is pressed towards the flywheel by the diaphragm spring, and holds a friction member of the clutch disc assembly together with the flywheel while interposing the friction member therebetween. The diaphragm spring has a function of pressing the pressure plate, and also has a lever function of releasing the pressure onto the pressure plate.
When the wear of the friction member of the clutch disc assembly herein progresses due to the load characteristic of the diaphragm spring, the pressure load onto the friction member is increased. Therefore, when the friction member is abraded, a large load is required for executing a release operation and a clutch pedal tread force is inevitably increased.
In view of the above, as described in Patent Literature 1, for instance, a wear compensation mechanism has been provided whereby increase in pressing load can be inhibited by returning the posture of a diaphragm spring to its initial state even when a friction member is abraded.
The wear compensation mechanism mainly includes: a fulcrum ring disposed between a pressure plate and the diaphragm spring; an urging mechanism configured to urge the fulcrum spring in a direction away from the pressure plate; and a wear-amount detecting mechanism configured to detect the wear-amount of the friction member. The diaphragm spring is herein configured to be able to press the pressure plate through the fulcrum spring. The diaphragm spring is kept in its initially set posture by moving the fulcrum spring in a direction away from the pressure plate in accordance with the wear-amount of the friction member.